Automatic conveyor for container

ABSTRACT

A conveyor belt 2 travels across the face of permanent magnets 6, the magnets being moveable toward and away from the belt by a cam roller 16; the magnets being moved toward the belt to attract and hold against the belt a moveable self-supporting container so that the conveyor can move the container along the floor surface without supporting the full load of the container; the magnet being moveable away from the conveyor belt to release the container.

United States Patent Inventor Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Priority Zeljko Radovic Aarau, Switzerland 814,783

Apr. 9, 1969 Jan. 12,1971 Sybron Corporation Rochester, N.Y.

a corporation of New York July 11, 1968 Germany 1,756,772

AUTOMATIC CONVEYOR FOR CONTAINER 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 104/165, 198/41 Int. Cl ..B65g 17/12, B65g 17/42 Field of Search 104/147,

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,092,927 9/1937 Merwitz 40/106.45 2,276,472 3/1942 Eberhart 34/23 2,492,889 12/1949 Royal 65/11 2,609,915 9/1952 De Burgh 198/41 2,824,638 2/1958 De Burgh 198/41 3,109,532 11/1963 Milan 198/41 3,447,663 6/1969 Sarovich.. 198/41 RE26,568 4/1969 Sarovich 198/41 Primary Examiner- Evon C. Blunk Assistant ExaminerW. Scott Carson Attorney-Theodore B Roessel ABSTRACT: A conveyor belt 2 travels across the face of permanent magnets 6, the magnets being moveable toward and away from the belt by a cam roller 16; the magnets being moved toward the belt to attract and hold against the belt a moveable self-supporting container so that the conveyor can' move the container along the floor surface without supporting the full load of the container; the magnet being moveable away from the conveyor belt to release the container.

sis-54,1

i FATENTED JAN 1 2 19m INVENTOR.

ZELJKO RADOVIC ATTORNEY I 1 AUTOMATlC CONVEYOR FORCONTAINER BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION The invention relates to an automatic conveyor with a driven endless belt for moving self-supporting containers along a floor surface, the container or its support consisting at least partially of a magnetic material. More specifically the invention relates to an automatic conveyor wherein permanent magnets are moved toward the belt to attract and hold cona wheeledcontainer which is separable from the rail mounted transport vehicle. The common method of unloading or loading materials carried by such a'trans'port vehicle would have the vehicle programmed to stop automatically at a desired stop station and the shaftway door exit station then opened to permit the removal of the wheeled container from the transport vehicle. In order to be able to operate the transport system most efficiently it is desirable that the unloading or loading be carried out automatically without manual assistance. In addition to the automatic removal of the container through the shaftway opening, it is also desirable to move the container away from the shaftway opening as quickly as possible in order to prevent congestion immediately adjacent theopening in cases, for example, where several containers are deliveredto the same shaftway opening in quick succession. Onesolution'to the removal of such containers from the shaftway opening is 'to provide a conveyor for receiving containers being discharged. While any type of conveyor may be used to convey containers fromthe s'haftway opening, the conveyor in the present invention is a magnetic conveyor whichcan be wall mounted, the endless belt of the conveyor traveling in a planeparallel to or in the wall surface. It is also within the scope of the present invention to havethe conveyor mounted in thefloor withthe endless belt of the conveyor traveling in the'plane of the floor surface.

This conveyor ischaracterized by a magnetic unit arranged within the conveyor belt which attracts and holds the container to the belt. The container, being self-supported and mobile is attracted to and held against the 'belt which then moves the container along the floor surface. Such a conveyor belt eliminates the need fora conveyorwhich is capable of 'supporting the full weight of the container and also eliminates the need for positive engagement of the .container' with the conveyor belt such as by a dog or similar devicefor pulling the container along the floor surface. a

While eitherpermanent or electromagnets can be used in the present invention, permanent magnets have one drawback in that it is difficult to break the magnetic attraction for separating the container from the conveyor belt. On the other hand, where electromagnets are used,it is very easy to deenergize themagnet so that the container can beseparated .from the belt; However, 'electromagnets require a more sophisticateddegreeof controlapparatus than do permanent magnets.

SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION In the present invention, a conveyor system is provided whichincludes a permanent magnets arranged along a path of travel'with the endless belt of the conveyorarranged to travel across the face of the permanent'm'a'gnets sothat containers conveyor for narrowing or increasing the air gap respectively between the magnet and the conveyor belt; With this arrangement, if the air gap between the permanent magnets and the conveyor belt is reduced, the containers are attracted by the magnets and held against the belt so that the belt can move the containers along the floor surface. On the other hand, if the air gap between the magnets and the belt is increased, the magnetic attraction decreases so that the containers are not strongly held and can be separated from the belt. The conveyor is preferably designed in such a manner that each permanent magnet is pivoted for movement toward or away from the conveyor belt by a laterally moving cam follower.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to provide a conveyor for transporting mobile containers along the floor surface, the belt of the container being unable to support the weight of the container.

Another object of the. present invention-is to provide an endless belt conveyor having magnets for attracting and holding mobile containers against the endless belt.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic conveyor which employs permanent magnets for attracting and holding moveable containers against the endless belt of the container.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic conveyor in which the permanent magnets used to attract and hold moveable containers against the endless belt of the conveyor are adjustable to facilitate the separation of the container from the belt.

These and other objects and advantages and'characterizing features of the present invention willsbecome more apparent constructed at least partially of a magnetic material are attracted against the belt with sufficient force to permit the endless conveyor belt to move the container along the floor on consideration of the following detailed description thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings depicting the same.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRE'DEMBODIMENTS FIG. I shows a conveyor generally indicated at 10 having an endless belt 2 which is coupled to a drive motor 4. Arranged within the conveyor belt isa series of relativelyclosely spaced permanent magnets 6 which areeach pivotedfor movement about a pivotpoint'8. The magnets and endless belt define an air gap 12 therebetween which can be narrowed or increased depending upon whether the magnets .are respectivelypivoted towardor away from the belt. Any suitable means such as a spring element (not shown) normally biases eachmagnet 6 toward the conveyor belt.

Each magnet has a cam surface 14 which is engageable with a cam roller I6-(FIG. 4). Cam rollers 16 are/connected at spaced intervals to a pull element 18 which in turn is driven by adrive pulley 20 and adjusting motor 22.

As may be seen from FIGS. 1 and 4, movement.of cam rollers 16 along camtsurfaces 14 will pivot magnets 6-about pivot points 8 to adjust the angle of inclination of eachpermanent magnet with respect to conveyor belt.2. Adjustment of the angle of inclination in turn causes the size of air gap 12 between the permanent magnet and conveyorbelt to vary.

FIG. 1 shows in phantoma wheeled container'26. located adjacent the conveyor belt. With'thecontainer against the belt, and prior to the movement of the container'by the belt, adjusting motor 22 is activated so as to drive, pull element .18 and cam rollers 16 in the direction indicated by arrow B. This permits the spring membertnot shown) to move permanent magnets 6 clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4 which narrows air gap 12 between the permanent magnets and the con veyor belt. Any suitable means (not shown) such as a trip shoe and limit switch can be used to shut off adjusting motor 22 responsive to the lateral movement of cam follower 16. By narrowing air gap 12, the magnetic attraction between the magnets and the container is increased so that the container is held against the belt with such force that the frictional engagement produced between the container and the belt is sufficient to permit the belt to move the container along the floor surface. Since the spacing between individual magnet 6 is small, the frictional engagement between the container and the conveyor belt is not significantly influenced during the transition from one permanent magnet to another as the container is moved across the floor surface by the belt. Once container 26 has been moved to its destination, any suitable means such as a limit switch (not shown) is activated to turn off drive motor 4 and turn on adjusting motor 22 reversing the direction of rotation of the adjusting motor. The reversing of adjusting motor 22 causes pull element 18 to move in the direction indicated by arrow A or to the left as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4. Moving pull element 18 and cam roller 16 to the left causes the permanent magnet 6 to pivot away from the conveyor belt thereby increasing the air gap between the permanent magnet and the conveyor. Because of the increase size of air gap 12, the magnetic attraction between the permanent magnets and the magnetic portion of container 26 is reduced which allows the container to be separated from the conveyor belt.

HQ 3 illustrates how the conveyor 10 can be wall mounted adjacent the floor surface. It is equally within the skill of the art to mount conveyor 10 in the floor surface so that belt 2 travels parallel to the plane of the floor. With this arrangement, the magnetic portion of the container would be located beneath the container so that the permanent magnets could hold the conveyor belt to the bottom or under carriage of the container.

Accordingly, it should be appreciated that the present invention accomplishes its intended objects by providing a magnetic conveyor wherein the magnetic force which attracts and holds containers against the conveyor belt is provided by adjustable magnets. The provision of the cam surface and cam roller arrangement 14 and 16, respectively, permit adjustment of the air gap 12 between the permanent magnet and the conveyor belt thereby greatly facilitating the ease with which containers can be attached to or moved from the conveyor.

I claim:

1. Means for moving containers along a floor surface comprising in combination:

a. a container constructed in part of a magnetic material and having means for directly supporting said container on a floor surface for movement thereon; an adjustable magnetic member;

c. a conveyor belt disposed for travel across said adjustable magnetic member, and, means for driving said belt; and

d. means adjusting said magnetic member toward and away from said belt, said magnetic member being adjusted toward said belt to frictionally hold said container against said belt as said belt moves said container along said floor surface and said magnetic member being adjusted away from said belt to separate said container from said belt.

2. A conveyor according to claim 1 wherein said means comprises:

a. a cam follower engageable with said magnetic member;

and b. means for driving said cam follower across said cam surface to move said magnetic member towards or away from said belt. 3. A conveyor as in claim 1 wherein said conveyor belt is disposed in a plane substantially normal to said floor surface.

4. A conveyor as in claim 1 comprising a plurality of said magnetic members disposed in spaced-apart relationship along said conveyor belt.

5. A conveyor according to claim 1 wherein said magnetic member is a permanent magnet. D I

6. A conveyor according to claim 1 wherein said magnetic member is pivotally mounted for arcuate movement toward and away from said belt.

7. Means for moving containers along a floor surface comprising in combination:

a. a container constructed in part of a magnetic material and having means for directly supporting said container on a floor surface for movement thereon;

. a movable belt, and, means for driving said belt;

a plurality of spaced magnetic members arranged along the path of travel of said conveyor belt and arranged for movement toward and away from said belt, said magnetic members and conveyor belt defining an air gap therebetween; and

d. means moving said magnetic members toward said belt and narrowing said air gap to frictionally hold said container against said belt and moving said magnetic members away from said belt to increase said air gap and release said container.

8. A conveyor according to claim 7 wherein said means comprises: I

a. a member movable with respect to said magnetic members and engageable therewith; and

b. drive means for moving said member with respect to said magnetic member.

9. A conveyor according to claim 8 wherein said moveable member includes a cam follower corresponding to each of said magnetic members adapted to engage a corresponding cam surface on each of said magnetic members for moving said magnetic members toward and away from said conveyor belt.

10. Means for moving containers along a floor surface comprising in combination:

a. a container constructed in part of a magnetic material and having means for directly supporting said container on a floor surface for movement thereon;

b. a moveable belt, and means for driving said belt;

c. magnetic means disposed along the path of travel of said belt for maintaining said container frictionally against said belt so that said belt moves said container along said floor surface; and

d. means for increasing the magnetic attraction between said magnetic members and said container for moving said container along said floor surface and decreasing the magnetic attraction between said magnetic members and said container for releasing said container from said belt. 

1. Means for moving containers along a floor surface comprising in combination: a. a container constructed in part of a magnetic material and having means for directly supporting said container on a floor surface for movement thereon; b. an adjustable magnetic member; c. a conveyor belt dispOsed for travel across said adjustable magnetic member, and, means for driving said belt; and d. means adjusting said magnetic member toward and away from said belt, said magnetic member being adjusted toward said belt to frictionally hold said container against said belt as said belt moves said container along said floor surface and said magnetic member being adjusted away from said belt to separate said container from said belt.
 2. A conveyor according to claim 1 wherein said means comprises: a. a cam follower engageable with said magnetic member; and b. means for driving said cam follower across said cam surface to move said magnetic member towards or away from said belt.
 3. A conveyor as in claim 1 wherein said conveyor belt is disposed in a plane substantially normal to said floor surface.
 4. A conveyor as in claim 1 comprising a plurality of said magnetic members disposed in spaced-apart relationship along said conveyor belt.
 5. A conveyor according to claim 1 wherein said magnetic member is a permanent magnet.
 6. A conveyor according to claim 1 wherein said magnetic member is pivotally mounted for arcuate movement toward and away from said belt.
 7. Means for moving containers along a floor surface comprising in combination: a. a container constructed in part of a magnetic material and having means for directly supporting said container on a floor surface for movement thereon; b. a movable belt, and, means for driving said belt; c. a plurality of spaced magnetic members arranged along the path of travel of said conveyor belt and arranged for movement toward and away from said belt, said magnetic members and conveyor belt defining an air gap therebetween; and d. means moving said magnetic members toward said belt and narrowing said air gap to frictionally hold said container against said belt and moving said magnetic members away from said belt to increase said air gap and release said container.
 8. A conveyor according to claim 7 wherein said means comprises: a. a member movable with respect to said magnetic members and engageable therewith; and b. drive means for moving said member with respect to said magnetic member.
 9. A conveyor according to claim 8 wherein said moveable member includes a cam follower corresponding to each of said magnetic members adapted to engage a corresponding cam surface on each of said magnetic members for moving said magnetic members toward and away from said conveyor belt.
 10. Means for moving containers along a floor surface comprising in combination: a. a container constructed in part of a magnetic material and having means for directly supporting said container on a floor surface for movement thereon; b. a moveable belt, and means for driving said belt; c. magnetic means disposed along the path of travel of said belt for maintaining said container frictionally against said belt so that said belt moves said container along said floor surface; and d. means for increasing the magnetic attraction between said magnetic members and said container for moving said container along said floor surface and decreasing the magnetic attraction between said magnetic members and said container for releasing said container from said belt. 